Washington, DC – Informed sources at the Department of Defense and the White House revealed that President Donald Trump has been briefed in recent days on an expanded list of military options for potential strikes against targets inside Iran. This comes as part of the US response to what Washington describes as the Iranian regime’s bloody crackdown on protesters. According to the sources, Trump is seriously considering carrying out his threat of direct military intervention. The aim is to deter Tehran from continuing to use force against the escalating popular protests, while emphasizing that a final decision has not yet been made.
“Decisive blows” without ground troops
The New York Times quoted US officials as saying that the options presented to the president focus on carrying out “strikes that will hurt the regime” without escalating into a full-scale ground war. The plans under consideration include targeting security and military sites linked to the regime’s repressive apparatus, as well as sensitive non-military sites within Tehran. They also include airstrikes and precision bombing, while ruling out the deployment of US ground troops.
According to sources, Trump described the potential operation as “very, very powerful and deadly.” In a political message accompanying the military escalation, Trump reiterated his stance on social media, stating, “Iran is looking for freedom, and the United States stands ready to help.”
High-level US-Israeli coordination
Concurrently with these preparations, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a significant phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to diplomatic sources, the two discussed the escalating protests in Iranian cities. They also discussed joint military and security coordination in Syria and Gaza, as well as ways to respond to Tehran’s insistence on continuing its crackdown and its refusal to back down.
Fears of sliding into all-out war
Despite the escalating rhetoric, US military officials warned of the potential repercussions of any attack, citing the risk of uniting the Iranian public behind its government or exposing US bases in the Middle East to retaliatory strikes. A senior military commander confirmed that US forces in the region might need additional time to bolster their defenses in anticipation of a barrage of Iranian missiles expected should the strike be carried out.
Iranian protests
The protests in Iran erupted last December against the backdrop of a collapsing currency and a crippling economic crisis. They later evolved into outright demands for the overthrow of the regime. Human rights reports indicate that dozens have been killed by security forces, while Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei continues to insist on his refusal to back down or make any concessions to the angry public.
